


Born a Hero

by SparrowAO32



Category: DC Animated Universe, DC Cinematic Universe, DCU (Comics), Justice League - All Media Types, Teen Titans - All Media Types, Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Crimes & Criminals, F/M, Superheroes, Superpowers, Villains
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2019-03-05 03:14:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13378938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparrowAO32/pseuds/SparrowAO32
Summary: "What makes you think you have what it takes?""I was born a hero.""That isn't enough.""Fine. I've got people who watch my back. I've got a team. What do you have? A gun? Well news flash, I'm on a winning streak and you aren't about to break it."





	1. Themyscira, home of the Amazon's

Grey eyes scanned the scene unfolding in the alley below. Her apartment never had a good view. The most beautiful thing she'd seen in her short time here was the bullets of water racing from clouds above to reunite on the pavement below. Even then, it wasn't as beautiful as it could be. Gotham made every little thing she used to love become dull and lifeless.  
"Carmen, mi amour, are you hungry?" Her grey eyes found their way to a similar pair peering in from the illuminated hall. She eyed the hand that reached into her new room and flick on the light over head. He looked around, until his gaze finally settled on the form sitting in the frame of the window, a book forgotten on the cushions next to her. "We can order pizza if you'd like." All he got in response was a dull head shake. "Chinese?"  
Her soft voice was horse from not speaking for so long as she said, "I'm not hungry, Joe." Shortly after she finished speaking, she clenched her jaw and cleared her throat.  
"Of course," he said, biting back a sigh as to not upset the child who'd spent hours screaming and crying. "Just let me know if you need anything." She nodded, her face still blank. Once he had flicked the switch and retreated into the hall, she bathed in the darkness, her eyes wandering back to the alley below. One of Gotham's heroes, Batgirl, had just taken down a few petty thugs and was calming a woman down. Carmen could already here the sirens wailing in the distance. It was probably a unit on their way to bring in the baddies. With a light sigh, the young girl leaned further up against the window with a light smile adorning her features. If only a hero like Batgirl had been in Paris when her mother died. Then, she would be stuck here where the most sunlight she'll ever see is cold and unwelcoming.  
~~~  
~~~~~~  
Carmen would stare out of the window every night. Throughout the day, she would join the little old lady tasked with watching her while Joe was at work. She knew that soon enough, she'd have to start attending real school. But without her anchor, she wasn't sure she'd be able to make it through the rough days at school. No teacher seems to understand. A child with dyslexia and ADHD is too much for them to handle, so she's left to fend for herself. And Joe is already doing so much for her. She's lucky he was willing to take her, since the rest of her mother's family had gave her their condolences, but turned a blind eye when they realized a kid was in need of a home. With a sigh, Carmen stood up from her nightly spot beside the window. She pushed her seven year old frame up onto the seat so that she was standing and began fumbling with the lock on top of the oak frame. Once it clicked and signaled the release, Carmen used what little strength it took to slid the glass pane open. Being small and nimble, it was easy to get out and onto the fire escape.  
But even weighing so little, the rusty metal creaked under her in a cry for attention, telling her just how long it's been since this apartment complex was built. Regardless, she hurried up the creaking escape until she was able to pull her body of a stone wall. The gravel crunched beneath her sketcher clad feet. Carmen smiled up at the sky, spotting a few stars that dare to shine through Gotham's smog and check in on their friend below. Stepping back up to the stone wall, she pulled herself so that she was standing on it. She felt at ease as the wind combed through her long, mocha hair. Her once dull grey eyes shone like the moon they were locked onto, and anyone who might've saw her would overlook the bags that shouldn't be under the eyes of a child that age. Carmen closed her eyes and held her arms out, the first real smile stretching across her face. The wind stopped playing with flags and leaves below, forming an invisible tunnel around her. Her body became lighter and she rose on her toes until the solid pavement beneath her sketchers faded away and she was defying gravity. A giggle tore through the Gotham night sky before the wind carried her across the street, and further through the city. Anyone below might mistake her for a hero. Superman, Wonder Woman maybe. Her laughter grew louder as the wind swirled upwards, pushing her closer to the grey clouds and making her hair flare out.  
Once she burst through the top of the clouds, she grinned. She finally had a view of the stars she adored so much. Brighter than anyone in Gotham would know. They twinkled in greeting as a shudder rolled throughout the small child. Waiting upon one of the clouds was a familiar man. He smiled at the sight of his youngest child.  
"To paidi mou", he greeted.  
Ignoring the fact the he addressed her in his native tongue, Carmen's grin spread even more and she cheered, "Dad!" The wind threw her in his direction rather quickly, but the god reacted faster and caught her in his arms with a low chuckles. Once the wind died down, she was set back on her own feet. The wisps of cloud swirled around her much shorter legs, not stopping until just below her knee's where as they only made it halfway up the gods calves. "I missed you."  
"I know, dear," he said softly, smiling down at her and brushing grey hair behind his shoulders, one of which was bare due to his 'odd' attire as Carmen would put it. Though, she can't deny that she loved his shoes. The winding leather and freedom for her toes. Any child would adore them. "But we can't always see each other. If my wife knew I was seeing you as often as I do..."  
"Mommy?"  
He smiled sadly, "No, Carmen. Hera." Hera. His real wife. As much as he loved her mother, he was tied to the goddess that had only been sour the few times Carmen had met her. "How are things with Joe?"  
His crinkled eyes softened at seeing one of his daughter's deflate sadly, and his ears zoned in on her childish voice, "He's different. He doesn't know like mommy did."  
"That's okay. You're good at keeping secrets, to paidi mou." She grinned. Greek was becoming easier for her to understand the more she heard it, but without her mother speaking it constantly before her death, she had grown to miss the sound of it. "It's time to go."  
"Do I have to?"  
"I'm afraid so, Carmen. Joe is looking for you." She turned around and peered off of the cloud she stood on with her father. When she looked back, he was gone. Without saying goodbye, yet again. She knew how the gods operated, thanks to her mothers in depth rant about why Carmen should stay away from them. And yet, she had never felt more at home then in the presence of the deities.  
Wind picked up surrounding the child once more. She felt the unexplained solid ground beneath her toes leave once more before her body was lowered back through the clouds. As she got closer to the apartment she would begin her new life in, Carmen couldn't help but realize the absence of warmth. Once her feet had touched down on the gravel again, Carmen breathed out a sigh of disappointment. The wind vanished and her hair sat limply on her shoulders again. The void reappeared around the child and she stared blankly up as the stars disappeared once more behind depressing clouds ready to start pouring down on Gotham City again. Nothing but rain, she thought. Why can't she just get away from the rain?  
~~~  
~~~~~~  
Carmen sat at the kitchen table, eyes fixated on the words moving across the pages of the book her sitter had bought for her. It was supposed to be a classic children's tale, but she couldn't quite piece it together. The door began to unlock itself, alerting the two occupants that Joe was home. Carmen gleefully shut the book and slipped out of the chair so she could great Joe and say goodbye to her sitter until Monday. But her voice stopped in her throat at the sight of the beautiful ravenette trailing behind her uncle. Her eyes scanned over every corner of the living room with a polite gaze. The gaze only turned into a sincere one upon landing on Carmen.  
"Ahh, Misses Pillsbury. Let me walk you out," her uncle offered as he tossed his coat and keys onto the awaiting couch and stretched his hands out to help her with her bags. Once the duo had fled the apartment, Carmen shyly let her eyes scan over the woman once more.  
The woman turned to her before she could look away, and crouched in front of her as she introduced, "I am Diana Prince."  
Giving and unsure handshake to the older female, Carmen replied, "Carmen Rhodes. I'm Joe's niece. Are you his girlfriend?"  
"No," she laughed lightly. "I'm here to see you."  
"Me?"  
"Mhmm. You're very special."  
Carmen gave her a suspicious look, "How so?"  
Diana stood up and let herself into the kitchen, "I'm guessing you know you aren't normal, right? You don't fit in here." She had hit home. The seven year old knew when she was beat. But just who was this woman? How could she understand Carmen in a way no one but her mother had been able to? "I don't either. Can I trust you with a secret?" Behind her thick eyelashes, Carmen met the vibrant cerulean eyes of Diana Prince. She gave a sharp nod, wondering what the crazy lady was playing at. "I'm different to. I'm different, like you. Want to see?" And so, Carmen Rhodes had found someone to fly with after these years of doing so alone. She found someone, who wasn't so different from her after all. She found a friend.  
A sister.  
~~~  
~~~~~~  
"You're a princess?", Carmen asked bewildered, eyeing all of the oddly dressed women walking around in pairs or groups. They dressed... just like her father. Diana was now wearing the red, white, and blue suite that a hero wore. She wasn't just Wonder Woman though. She was an Amazon, a princess hiding among the normal populous of people in 'mans world'. Diana nodded, smiling down at the younger girl who seemed to shrink into her side at all of the curious stares she was attracting. "Then why don't you live in a castle? Does Joe know? You can't date Joe without him knowing he has to be a prince in the future."  
Diana laughed heartedly as she told Carmen, "Joe is not my boy friend. I merely know him. Thank fully. I doubt you're uncle would pass you off to a stranger claiming to know you're father."  
"Does he know about my dad?" She hummed confirmation, making Carmen frown. He had known, but didn't say anything. Had her mother told him? Or was the adventure nights prior given it away? But how would that do so? "And he doesn't think I'm crazy?"  
"No, of course not," Diana assured, leading the youngest girl up a set of stairs. "There are aliens and time travelers, world jumpers and meta-humans. A Greek demi-goddess is not among the craziest things that could have stumbled into his life." Carmen stared silently while she trailed along side the princess and she tried to process everything. She knew her father wasn't normal. She knew about the gods and their roles up in the sky, sitting on Mount Olympus. She hadn't however, a clue about the island full of exotic and beautiful women who stared like they'd never seen a child. Upon making it to the top of the sandstone stairs, they entered a building unlike any of the one's she'd seen in Gotham or Paris. "Mother!" Carmen heard the excited call, and left her thoughts to see Diana approach an older woman, pulling her into a strong hug. They pulled apart, whispering to one another for a minute. Then, all eyes were on her. Carmen wanted to shrink under the intense stares, but there was no where to go. She was surrounded by the women, stuck on an island. So, she puffed out her chest and stood as tall as she could make herself. Act brave, and you'll feel brave, she tried to reason.  
The older version of Diana smiled and approached her, "I am Hippolyta. Welcome, to Themyscira."


	2. Welcome Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Wait, are you serious?", she asked, excitement bubbling up in her and a grin etching its way onto her face. When Diana gave a quick nod, Carmen pumped a fist into the air and whooped. She left her mentor in the dust and raced back towards the city to say goodbye to the friend's she'd made there. Themyscira was home now, that wouldn't change. But it was time the world met the new Wonder Girl.

Carmen watched with a smile at the brawl happening between a few of the Amazons in the clearing below. She'd love to jump in and try to beat any one of the older women, but Queen Hippolyta wanted to see her. With a disappointed sigh, Carmen stood up. She felt the wind brush her hair out of her face, rustling the fabric that came to her mid thighs. She turned away from the field she'd come to love, away from the women who took her in those years ago, and started on her way to the building she'd met the Queen in. It was a short walk. A comfortable walk. The sun beating down on the island, warming her tanned skin and making the teen smile in delight. A few 'hellos' were exchanged before she was hiking up the steps that once seemed like a mountain to her. Now, it was just a few long strides.  
She pushed open the door, and slipped inside. Her grey eyes scanned the room, before coming to a stop on a woman clad in red, white, and blue.  
"Diana!", she cheered, her smile broadening as she ran to meet the woman half way, and pull her into a large hug. "You're back!"  
The hero laughed, and replied, "I am! How has your training been?" Carmen released Diana and gave a shrug, but her smile remained just as full of light. Their conversation came to an end as Queen Hippolyta entered the room with a soft smile, eyeing the two girls she had watched grown up. Diana turned her smile to the queen. "Mother." They exchanged a hug much like the one a few seconds before. "I wish I could stay longer."  
"You're not staying?", Carmen asked, her smile falling. The Queen and Diana shared a look, before Diana turned to Carmen.  
"Let's go for a ride." The young 'Amazon' nodded, following Diana to the stables. Diana saddled and mounted her usual obsidian mare, while Carmen happily climbed atop a chestnut horse. Their ride was silent, save for the few laughs that escaped Carmen as she raced ahead of Diana in challenge. Once they reached their usual spot- a cliff overlooking the ocean below- they slowed to a stop side by side. Carmen looked happily at the water crashing onto the rocks below them, but her smile became weak when she glanced at her mentor and remembered they wouldn't have long. "I have to go back to man's world before night fall." Carmen nodded sadly. "But, I'd like it if you came with me." It took a few seconds for it to register in Carmen's ears, but her face lit up once more as she turned to face Diana again.  
"Wait, are you serious?", she asked, excitement bubbling up in her and a grin etching its way onto her face. When Diana gave a quick nod, Carmen pumped a fist into the air and whooped. She left her mentor in the dust and raced back towards the city, leaning into her horse to edge him on further. She wanted to say goodbye to the friend's she'd made there. Themyscira was home now, that wouldn't change. But it was time the world met the new Wonder Girl.  
~~~  
~~~~~~  
"Paradise Island is beautiful from above," Carmen commented, peering out of the jet Diana was so comfortable in, even when neither of them could see a thing. Her infamous invisible jet. Of course Carmen knew of it. How else was she going to get to Paradise Island when she was seven? But it never felt right in the jet. She was uneasy in the flying machine. Whether it was due to the lack of visibility, or the fact that it was man made and she'd much rather trust the winds, she wouldn't tell.  
Diana nodded with a grin, "It is." A moment passed between the two. It was comfortable, and familiar. It only ended when Diana spoke again. "Are you excited to see Joe?"  
Carmen shrugged, fingers playing with the hem of her Amazonian dress, "I think so. Do you think he still worries for me? I barely remember him. He's kind of just a blur."  
"That's okay," she assured. "You were still quite young when I picked you up. And of course he still worries. You're his blood, after all." Carmen nodded to signal that she had heard Diana, but didn't reply or add onto the conversation. She just sat there, staring at the pale fabric between her fingers. The ride was silent from there, but it was another comfortable one. When Diana lowered the plane through the clouds again, she stated, "Gotham City. You're going to have to change, but welcome back." A small, forced grin made it's way onto Carmen's face. Would things be different for her now?  
~~~  
~~~~~~  
Pants felt odd. She frowned at the girl in the mirror. Jeans, converse, and a long sleeved shirt. Her hair was pulled back to a mocha braid that cascaded down her back, a few fly aways framing her face. She turned to Diana, and dropped the frown.  
"Here," the older woman hummed, passing a pair of glasses. "They're going to help hide your identity when you start going out with me." Carmen nodded, gingerly taking the glasses with a loose grip, afraid she would brake it. She slid them onto her face and turned back to look in the mirror once more. She hardly recognized the girl standing in it. She wasn't wearing the thigh high dress or her leather sandals, but she wasn't the same girl that left Gotham City seven years ago. "Are you ready?" Carmen turned to Diana with her best brave face, and gave her a nod. They left the penthouse and joined the driver below to head towards the poorer part of Gotham. Now, her Uncle wasn't rich. She hadn't a care in the world for the few months she lived with him. But older now, she realized she should have worried for him. As if the fight below in the alley the night she saw Batgirl wasn't a sigh how dangerous that part of the city was. But she had left him all alone again.  
Waiting on them, was a man somewhat familiar. It was Joe, but with more grey adorning his dirty blonde hair, and more of a stomach to him than the last time they saw each other. Carmen got out, and waited on Diana. She wasn't sure what to do. Should she introduce herself again? Offer him a hand to shake? Before she could make up her mind, Joe pulled her in for a hug. After a moment of unsureness, Carmen wrapped her arms around him as well. She sighed, closing her eyes and cautiously tightening her grip.  
"I missed you," he mumbled to his niece.  
Carmen smiled, and told him, "I missed you too, Joe." He released her, clearing his throat as they pulled apart. "How's work?"  
"Good," was his answer. "How was the island?"  
"Amazing," Carmen replied, a bright smile spreading across her face. "I felt so in place there. I didn't have to hide." He gave a sigh of relief and nodded his hello to Diana, who stood just behind her protégé. "Are you okay?" He looked taken aback by his nieces question, raising his eyebrow in question. "You look pale, and tired." It was true. The bags under his eyes looked like they had good reason to be there, and a thin layer of sweat covered his forehead. He swayed a bit where he stood, but tried to brush it off.  
"Just overworked, is all." Carmen nodded slowly, not quite believing the lie.  
Diana stepped up, placing a hand on his shoulder, "She's right, Joe. Somethings wrong." He opened his mouth to assure them he was okay once more, but his eyes fluttered shut and his body began to fold, dropping towards the damp concrete. "Joe!" Diana caught him before any damage came to him, and Carmen lunged forward to give him a hand.  
"Diana!", she cried, looking at her uncle fearfully. "What's wrong with him?"  
"I don't know," she said in a soothing tone, pulling one of his arms over her shoulder to move him upstairs. Carmen gave what help she could, pushing the door to the apartment open and helping Diana place him on the couch. They looked him over, unsure of the cause of his ailment. Was it just a common cold? Stress? Lack of sleep? Neither of the female's were doctors, but it didn't look all too good for the man. "Stay here," she ordered, rushing into the kitchen. Carmen took Diana's place, kneeling beside the couch and staring worriedly at the only family she cared to call so. Diana returned, putting a cold wash cloth over his forehead. She then pulled a blanket off the top of the bookshelf- which Carmen noted was new- and spread it over Joe. Diana stepped away from the relatives, pulling out her phone and dialing a number while she walked back into the kitchen.  
Carmen was fixated and worrying over her uncle, and missed the conversation on the other line. She was trying to calm herself down, to make the tingling in her stomach cease. If something happened to Joe, she'd be so angry at herself for leaving him alone in the first place. When Diana came back in the room, she had a stern look on her face.  
"Stay here." When she made move for the door, Carmen shot to her feet.  
"Wait, where are you going?"  
Diana pulled the door open and answered, "A friend. He knows something about this. Joe isn't the only one getting sick."  
"I'm coming."  
"Carmen, I really think that-"  
"I'm coming." Diana met the stormy grey eyes of the determined teen. Nothing she said would keep the girl here. Diana sighed, nodding and grabbing one of the spare keys to the apartment so she could lock the door while they were gone.  
"You're going to need to change again."  
~~~  
~~~~~~  
"Diana," a gravelly voice greeted as the two females marched into a damp cave, both donning the colors of America. Instead of the skirt or sleeveless top like Diana, Carmen wore red knee high boots, blue pants that tucked into her boots and had a white stripe down the other sides littered with stars, and a red long sleeve. Her tiara was much like Diana's, but different. She wasn't a princess, and the silver was meant to match her cuffs as well. "Who is she?" Carmen's eyes turned from studying the room to the man clad in black. He had once been her idol. Now, that was Diana.  
"This is Carmen, my protégé," Diana said. Carmen kept her face blank, but gave a nod of hello to the bat. He just stared at her from behind his cowl, not making any movements or giving away what he was thinking. "You said you knew what the sickness was."  
Batman broke the stare off between Carmen and himself, turning and walking further into the cave, "Yes." That was it? A 'yes'? A frown morphed on Carmen's face. Did he know the cure then? Because she'd gladly kick his ass if it meant getting a cure for her uncle. Batman's supposed to be good, but she didn't get anything but bad vibes from him. When they reached a computer, he took a seat and Diana shamelessly leaned close to him. They must be close, if she has no problem in possibly showing her cleavage. That, or she's just shameless in general. "Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn have been setting up gardens across Gotham. Anyone with extreme exposure to the plants, or anyone who has inhaled the pollen is getting sick. They start off with flu like symptoms, move on to being comatose for 48 hours, and then they just stand like blank shells. I think Ivy and Harley have some way to control the shells. Only four people have recovered from it, and they're all women." I frowned. What I was hearing is my uncle had 48 hours before he's in the last term?  
"Do you have any leads on them?", Diana questioned. Batman pulled up a map. There were plenty of red dots popping up. Too many. "That's a no, then."  
"Actually, there's a warehouse here-" the map zoomed in on one of the dots. "- that Harley and Ivy have used before, and is showing extreme amounts of the pollen in the flowers. I was going to check it out when you called."  
"Good, I'll join you." Diana stood upright, allowing Batman room to get up and move to the black car a few yards away. Diana turned to me. "Stay here."  
"What?"  
"Father." A short boy- maybe an inch or two shorter then Carmen- appeared at the top of the stairs in the Robin costume. He bee lined his way to Batman, while Carmen was arguing with Diana.  
"I want to help!", she cried. "Joe is sick, and I can't just sit by, Diana!"  
Diana took your hands soothingly, "I know, Carmen, but you'll be more helpful here. Harley and Ivy are dangerous. You aren't ready for villains of their caliber yet."  
"How will I ever be if you just side line me all the time?!", Carmen complained. "How am I supposed to ever be ready when all you do is isolate me, Diana?"  
"Please, just stay here." The Amazonian princess left her protégé and joined Batman in the car. Carmen scowled, folding her arms angrily. She watched the short boy seething himself, glare at the vehicle containing their mentors pull out of the cave. Giving an angry huff, Carmen looked at the screen. The warehouse was by the port, a few blocks north of her uncle's apartment. She'd be able to get there on her own. Whipping around, she was set on marching out of the cave and flying there herself, but froze as to not hit the body that had silently appeared in front of her.  
"And you're supposed to be?"  
Annoyed, Carmen pushed past him, "A hero, but I guess Diana doesn't see me as one."  
"Where are you going? You're supposed to stay here."  
"With you? I'll pass," she scoffed. "I'm going to help Diana and Batman."  
"How?"She looked at him with a deadpanned look, saying, "Protégé of Wonder Woman? I can fly." He gave a moment of silence, where he looked like he was battling himself.  
When it was over, he demanded, "Take me with you."


	3. The Bird and the Amazon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Do you think they're okay?", she whispered as lowly as she could, eyeing the two unconscious mentors being circled by hyena's. Robin didn't answer. He just narrowed his masked eyes at the scene below. In the next moment, Diana's eyes snapped open. But they weren't her own. The blue was long gone, replaced with a vibrant green. Her head snapped towards them, making Carmen's eyes go wide. "Oh, come on!"

"Can't you go any faster?", the boy in her arms complained. If it were an anime, there would be a pulsing red tick mark over her temple.  
"I'm trying," she snapped. "You're not as light as you look, kid."  
"I'm not a kid!", he argued.  
Scoffing, Carmen said, "Well, you sure act like one." He just scoffed, folding his arms and making it harder on her. She huffed and fixed her hold on him so that she could pick up speed. When they finally landed, Carmen couldn't let go of him any faster. She tossed him to the roof, landing silently behind him. He gave her a glare, one she ignored as she made her way to the sky light. Peering inside, she saw Diana and Batman, back to back. There were vines whipping around the bare room, and three hyena's jumping around. Harley made an appearance every now and then with her mallet. Carmen silently pulled the skylight up and slipped in, not caring what the boy chose to do. Upon landing on a crate, she found that he had followed her. A spore on one of the vines burst, flooding the room with a orange mist. Carmen held her breath and covered her nose and face. Robin pulled his cape over his face. The spore burst right in Batman's face, not giving him a chance to block it out. He dropped like lead moments after inhaling. Wonder Woman heard him fall, and turned to face him just as the mist reached her. Carmen blinked. Was it really that easy to take down two trained heroes?  
"Do you think they're okay?", she whispered as lowly as she could, eyeing the two unconscious mentors being circled by hyena's. Robin didn't answer. He just narrowed his masked eyes at the scene below. In the next moment, Diana's eyes snapped open. But they weren't her own. The blue was long gone, replaced with a vibrant green. Her head snapped towards them, making Carmen's eyes go wide. "Oh, come on!" Diana pushed off the ground and flew directly to them. Carmen braced herself for the hit. When it came, the wind flushed out of her lungs, leaving her a second time when she hit the wall behind her and leaving a spider web patterned crack as she fell to the floor. She groaned, and pushed herself onto her hands and knee's.  
"Oooo, there's a new wonder brat!" The malicious laughter made Carmen turn her face towards the jester. When Robin was thrown off of the crate as well, she began clapping giddily. "And the bird blunder! How fun!" Diana stood at the edge of the crate with her eyes fixated on Carmen. Wait- not her eyes. The odd green ones that sent a chill down her spine. Diana leapt off the crate. With wide eyes, Carmen rolled out of the way before pushing up and taking flight.  
"Wonder Woman!", she cried. Diana turned, green eyes angrily locking on her figure again. "Come on! You're not really letting these women control you, right?"  
"Sorry sweetie," Ivy cooed. "She can't hear you." Diana launched into the air again, knocking Carmen through the ceiling. Once they passed the clouds, Diana switched their positions and hurled Carmen back towards the ground. Calling upon the winds was useless. They couldn't stop the momentum. Carmen went through the roof again, landing in the concrete and creating a crater. Her head lolled back and her hazy vision showed Robin having a hard time with Batman as well. Diana reappeared above Carmen, pinning her down. Huffing angrily, Carmen reached up and brought her leg around Diana, flipping them. She punched at her mentor's face, but hit concrete instead. Diana threw her off, standing and glaring her way.  
"Any plans, Robin?", Carmen yelled, ducking under a round house kick from the older Amazon.  
He grunted, avoiding one of Batman's hits, before telling her, "Try not to lose."  
"No duh!", she snapped, catching another punch from Diana, and twisting her arm so that she had control. With Ivy, Diana was more predictable. She didn't fight like an Amazon. She still had the strength, sure. But Carmen had an upper hand. She was strong too, and she was in control of her own body. Pulling on the arm she held, Carmen brought Diana into a headlock. Diana flailed and kicked, trying to get free. Poor Ivy had no chance against her hold. Without oxygen the 'shell' was useless. Her eyes rolled back and she got weaker, eventually stopping all together. Carmen dropped her, turning towards the two villains. "You guys are a pain in my ass!" She lunged for them. They both went wide eyed and dove in different directions to avoid Wonder Girl's angry fist. The wall behind them crumbled under the force. She growled, spinning and going for Ivy. If she took Ivy out, Batman would snap out of it and they'd have an chance. A vine separated Ivy from Carmen, and the spore on it burst. Without breathing, Carmen darted through it an slammed into Ivy.  
"Hands off of Red!", Harley grunted, swinging her mallet. Carmen threw up her arms and took the hit, skidding a few yards back. The hyena's stood beside their mother, growling at the enemy. With a sharp whistle from Harley, the hyena's lunged for Carmen. She let out a short lived shriek, falling back and using her hands as a barricade to keep the jaws of the hyena above her from biting her head. The teeth sunk into her skin, making a solid stream of blood trail across her arms. Carmen grunted, throwing the hyena off of her and into Harley. She grunted at the sudden weight and fell back. Flipping onto her feet, Carmen's eyes flickered across the room to survey everything going on. Diana lay unconscious still, and Robin was pinned to the wall under Batman's hold.  
"Let's trade dance partners!", she called. A nod from Robin made her push off the ground and fly for the Bat. Her body slammed into him, knocking him away from Robin. Batman took the hit, eventually making the duo stop moving just to push her aside. Carmen got ready to counter an attack, but Batman froze. She looked over, and spotted Ivy unconscious with Robin finishing off Harley. Really!? It was that easy for him!? Unfair!  
~~~  
~~~~~~  
"We make a pretty good team," Carmen hummed, walking past the boy in the domino mask.  
"Tt," was the only answer. She rolled her eyes, approaching her mentor. She smile sheepishly as the woman rubbed her throat on the medical cot.  
"You weren't supposed to come after us, you know," she pointed out. Carmen shrank a bit, afraid of the lecture that might follow. Diana smiled, and said, "I'm glad you did. Who knows what trouble we could have gotten into without you two there to stop us."  
Carmen laughed lightly, and told her, "You would have been fine. You've been a hero without a protégé for so long, so I don't see how I'm much help to you."  
She dropped her hands from the soar throat, and pulled Carmen into a hug, "You make sure I have a clear head." Carmen grinned, hugging Diana back. When they pulled apart, she helped Diana to her feet. "Batman made a cure by reversing the effects of the pollen. We can take some to Joe."  
"Good."


End file.
